More than 11,000 television and feature film writers have been on strike for 72 days. The union representing 160,000 actors has been in negotiations with the major Hollywood studios for over a month — and could declare a strike as soon as its contract expires late Wednesday.
So, who’s ready to party?
The timing of the Emmy nominations this year is awkward, to say the least. With thousands out of work, a normally joyous affair toasting the best in the television business is happening while much of Hollywood is shut down, and the mood is decidedly grim.
The writers and the studios have not returned to the bargaining table since negotiations collapsed in early May. They remain far apart on the issues, which means the Emmys ceremony, scheduled for Sept. 18, may very well be postponed.
The Television Academy, which administers the Emmys, and Fox, this year’s broadcaster, have not made their plans public. But organizers have privately concluded that if the strike — or, worse, a pair of them — continues for another two or three weeks, they will have to postpone the September event, probably by months. The ceremony could be moved to as late as January.
The writers and actors have similar grievances. Both argue that their compensation levels, and their working conditions, have deteriorated during the streaming era. On the other side, major entertainment companies have watched their profit levels collapse as the old cable model comes undone.
Content Source: www.nytimes.com